Islamabad:

Senate’s Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs Tuesday reviewed critical issues related to the management of maritime assets, especially the controversial sale of 500 hectares of land at Port Qasim. The committee, chairman of the Senator Faisal Vawda, later ordered the cancellation of the sale.

Vawda later expressed his gratitude for the rapid action that the committee has taken, “if we had not seized and postponed the corruption, the country would have lost RS60 billion. Our collective actions ensured that the false sale was canceled within 72 hours of our recommendations.”

According to a press release, the committee dived into the sale of 500 hectares of land at Port Qasim, which was reportedly sold for only 2 percent advances, corresponding to a fraction of its actual value, estimated at RS60 billion.

The senator questioned the legitimacy of the transaction and said, “Only 2 percent was taken after selling land worth the RS60 billion. If the transaction was legitimate, why was it turned within 72 hours?”

The country was originally awarded for industrial use in 2006, and the committee heard from officials that a settlement had been pursued outside the court in this case.

However, Vawda raised doubts and questioned why the land was sold for only 10 percent of its actual value and why the board did not take action before. “Who authorized the Port Qasim board to sell land worth the RS60 billion for only RS5 billion? This goes beyond their scope and authority,” he noted.

In his remarks, the senator outlined three options for dealing with such cases of incorrect management and corruption, “surrender, admit the corruption or fight against it.” He emphasized the importance of keeping responsible for those responsible for the financial loss for the country.

Senator Danesh Kumar raised concerns about the lack of a permanent chairman at both Karachi and Gwadar ports and emphasized the need for stable leadership in the maritime sector.